July 6, 2009 - Australia may increase the price of cigarettes to help cut the number of smokers by 1 million people, the Australian newspaper reported, citing the Preventative Health Taskforce discussion paper.

The government may increase the price of a packet of 30 cigarettes to A$20 ($16), or raise the average price of a single smoke from 45 Australia cents to 67 cents, which would net an extra A$1.97 billion in taxes, the newspaper said.

Plain labeling of cigarette packets, a ban on internet sales and media campaigns are also recommended by the taskforce, the newspaper reported.